


She's Worth It

by baslaw



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:34:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27092884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baslaw/pseuds/baslaw
Summary: Julie invites the guys to see the final performance of the dance her class has been working on for quite some time :)
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Julie Molina & Luke Patterson, Julie Molina & Nick, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Nick & Carrie Wilson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 170





	She's Worth It

**Luke's Point of View**

Julie cancelled yet another band practice. For the third time this week.

She keeps saying she'll make it up to us, but she just keeps cancelling them. Something about a big performance happening in her school that's going on tomorrow. And I'm not a selfish brat, I know Julie has a life outside of the guys and I. She has school, responsibilities... but it doesn't mean I don't miss her. Plus, it stings that she's dance partners with that idiot Nick anyways. No amount of staying in after school is going to help that doofus become a decent dancer in the next 24 hours (I totally didn't spy on Julie and him yesterday and saw him in action. That's simply absurd).

Alex and Reggie obviously picked up on my sour mood, the three of us just chilling in the studio each doing our own thing. Alex was trying to figure out how to use a phone. Julie gave the three of us her old one to share to learn more about the new technology. Reggie and I gave up 3 minutes in, but Alex was determined. Or maybe just bored.

Reggie was listening to a show Julie put on for us on her laptop before she left to school earlier today, explaining how to go to the next episode when the previous one ended. Reggie hasn't looked away since. Some weird show with animated pictures, Spongerob or something. It looked rather stupid, leaving me to stare at my blank journal thinking about the one girl who's never left my brain since the day we popped into her life. Thinking of her cute little scream now brought a small, fond smile onto my face. One the boys both knew all too well by now.

"My god Luke, can you even go a day _without_ thinking about Julie?" Alex asked with a little teasing glint in his eye. I glared at him, refusing to engage in the taunting he was trying to coax out of me. Sadly, once hearing Alex mention Julie, Reggie looked away from the screen and decided to join in on the fun.

"Ever since we discovered we could somehow touch Julie, the poor guy can't keep his hands off her," Reggie added. I clenched my jaw, hand curling into a fist. _Do not engage Luke. Do not engage_.

"Thinking we don't notice him 'accidentally' brushing against her countless times a day. So smitten."

"So in love," Alex added. 

"I am _not_ in _love!_ " I cried. 

Shit. 

Alex and Reggie bursted out laughing, happy they finally got a reaction out of me. I growled, leaping out of my seat and running towards the two as they quickly began running away, laughing as they kept dodging me whenever I got close and poofing away. 

"Get back here you idiots!" I cried out, my voice sounding anything but threatening. Of course the moment I finally reach towards Reggie and Alex, tumbling into them, is the moment Julie decides to enter the studio.

"Hey... guys?" 

The three of us froze and quickly composed ourselves, each giving Julie a sheepish smile.

"I don't even want to know," she muttered under her breath, loud enough for us to hear. "Anyways, I'm sorry for missing band practice again you guys, this dance has got everyone stressed out. Especially Nick, who's been acting strange. He even knows how to do most of the moves! How the hell did he become a good dancer over night!" she cried. "How's your days been?"

"Great. Super peachy. Not boring at all," I replied. Julie rolled her eyes, trying to hide that grin I saw making it's way on her lips. 

"Watching that anime show that you put on when you left," said Reggie.

"Hung out with Willy and am currently trying to figure out how to use this stupid phone!" Alex cried.

Julie nodded, and after taking the device out of Alex's hands before he broke it, seated herself on the couch in front of the now discarded laptop still playing whatever weird show was on there. 

"I wanted to invite you three to the performance tomorrow. We've worked really hard on it and I want you guys to be there," Julie said shyly, twirling a piece of her hair with her finger. 

"Of course we'll come Jules. We've never really got to see you dance before, I can't wait to see," Alex said encouragingly. The smile Julie shot him was so bright I almost got blinded by it, and I wasn't even on the receiving end.

"You're probably better than all of us combined," I added. Julie simply scoffed. 

"Yeah right, you're an incredible dancer Luke!" 

"How would you know? You've never seen me dance before," I replied. 

Julie's face made this adorable scrunching expression, the one she makes when she's thinking about something. Her eyes widened in realization and embarrassment, and her complexion turned a bright shade of red. 

"Haha, sorry I must've confused you for.. uh... someone else. Forget I said that," she stuttered. I tilted my head to the side, confused by her deflection. I couldn't try to figure her out more because Alex started speaking, breaking the awkward tension.

"Just be glad you didn't have to see Reggie's moves. I still cannot un-see that," he groaned. 

I chuckled, remembering the time we were wondering if humans could see us and what Reggie did to check. Alex was still wincing, trying to block out the memory while Reggie kept going on about how he was an exceptional dancer and that we were just jealous we don't have his awesome moves. During the chaos which is Alex and Reggie, I walked up towards Julie, bringing my lips near her ear. I felt her tense up, but she didn't make any indication she wanted me to move away so I leaned in further.

"Of course we'll be there Jules. We'll be right up front, cheering you on."

Even though I definitely wasn't fond of witnessing Julie and Nick dancing around a stage together, I knew I would do anything for this girl. Even suffer through watching her get close with another guy. I know it's selfish to want a girl all for myself, especially a girl I could never have. Still, watching her ears turn the slightest shade of red and the blinding smile she shot my way was worth it. It was worth anything. 

Maybe Alex and Reggie were right. Maybe this _was_ love.

~*~*~*~

**Julie's Point Of View**

I was a nervous wreak. Singing in front of crowds were easy. It came naturally to me, something I've loved to do and had a lot of time to overcome. 

Dancing in front of crowds was another thing. I've never done a number in front of anyone other than the ones in my music program. Now, I had to in front of the whole school! I was feeling the pressure. Oddly enough, Nick looked completely calm. As if he's _done_ this sort of thing before. He's the one who was scared of performing in front of people actually watching him only a few weeks ago. Now, it's as if his body has been taken over. I don't understand it. How can he be so composed?

"Hey Nick, you ready for this?" I whispered to him. We were standing in the front row, near the midde-ish end-ish area. 

"Oh yeah, we're gonna rock this Julie," he replied. Nick smiled, but there was something different about it. I couldn't place my finger on it, but it didn't look completely innocent. It was as if he knew something I didn't. If this performance wasn't freaking me out, I probably would've realized what the smile looked like. But alas, I turned my head around and didn't see the devilish grin caressing my former crush's face. 

And then the curtain's opened, showing the hundreds of students and their parents. 

Dad was easy to spot. He was wearing a shirt that said 'Go Julie' in glittery purple letters with a matching hat. Carlos was just wearing the hat, looking just as enthusiastic. Dad and his DIY projects. Seeing it warmed my heart, and made it just a little bit easier to breathe. Aunt Victoria couldn't make it, something about an emergency with one of her friends from pilates. 

Every second waiting for the music to start felt like torture. I knew Flynn was somewhere in the second row, but I fought the urge to look behind me just to see her face, seeing her whisper to me that I can do this. Carrie was placed in the front just like me, more so in the middle. I realized I desperately wanted to see her face too. A scowl, her rolling her eyes, a condescending smirk. But when I turned to look at her, willing whatever forces out there to let her turn and look at me too, they weren't on my side. Carrie's face glued to the crowd, award wining smile plastered on her pretty face.

Then the music cued. Everyone took their position, my body functioning on auto pilot. I was going to fail. It was going to go horribly wrong. I would mess up and embarrass myself, everyone will look at me with distaste. As my thoughts began spiraling out of control, I looked out at the audience panic evident on my face. And then I saw them.

Luke, Alex, and Reggie all standing- I chocked out a sob. 

In the front row. Each carrying a different sign saying words of encouragement, even though no one around them can see it. Each were shouting my name, cat calling and whatnot. A smile instantly formed on my face. My nerves were still there, but seeing my band. No, seeing my family out there cheering me on somehow knowing I'd be nervous was enough to make me muster up whatever strength I had in my system, and give shoot my own Carrie™ smile into the crowd, and begin the routine. 

I am happy to say that I didn't mess up, not once. And I even had fun out there, Nick twirling me around and laughing with me, our voices muffled by the blasted speakers. At the end I couldn't _believe_ I was so nervous. I knew Nick and I aced it. And so did the crowd, all of them cheering when the dance number was over. All except one.

~*~*~*~

**Luke's Point Of View**

Seeing Julie so nervous on stage really threw the guys and I off. We all knew Julie sounded scared when she invited us along, so we decided to show our support and make some signs (totally not using the glitter we knew was in Julie's Dream Box). Still, she never looked scared, with the exception of the day she first saw us in her studio. 

When Julie spotted us and her face broke into a smile, I visibly relaxed. Reggie was hollering at Julie like a mad man, Alex and I making an occasional cheer or shout. Then the music relaxed, and Julie began dancing. 

And I was instantly captivated. 

I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she span and jumped and twirled. She really was the best dancer out of the three of us combined. Actually, maybe her and Alex are on the same level but the point is Julie was beautiful on stage. 

Of course 20 seconds in her partner came in and I remembered the dance was a duet.

I was not jealous, okay? I wasn't. Nick was simply carrying Julie and pressing her against him. Did they have to be that _close?_ My eyes were still glued to Julie, but they narrowed whenever I saw them hold hands or start giggling together. She looked like she was having fun dancing with _him_. How I wished it was me. How I wish I was the one holding her, spinning her, touching her. 

But seeing her face widened in a huge smile was enough to make me squash down those jealous feelings and keep a well crafted smile on my face, in case she was ever to look my way. But when Julie grabbed Nick's hand at the end and took a bow, I couldn't help but feel a stab of hurt. Smile disappearing right when everyone else started clapping, cheering on the students.

I desperately wanted to poof out of there. And so I did.

~*~*~*~

"Hey Luke," her voice cried out into the dark studio. I stayed silent just as I did all those weeks ago after we played the Orpheum. Julie reached towards the lights, flickering them on revealing me sitting on the couch. Darn it.

"Again? Really Luke?" she asked with her arms crossed. 

"It was worth a shot," I replied while sitting up, planning on making a hastily exit through the door. And that was my mistake. Walking out the door. The fact that I haven't seen Julie since the performance and that she's probably into _Nick_ had my mind hay wiring causing me not to freaking teleport out of there. Instead, I walked. And so she obviously stopped me. Maybe a small little part of my mind didn't teleport because I wanted her to stop me. I wanted her to _choose_ me.

Julie grabbed my arm (the one time I hated this new 'touching Julie' predicament) and kept me from leaving. Again, I could've snapped out of her grip _easily_. But I didn't.

"Luke what's wrong? Did I do something?"

I gave the girl a fond smile. Of course she thinks she did something wrong. Julie is just too pure for this world. For me.

"No nothing like that Jules," I gave her a tight smile, but she didn't drop it.

"Then what Luke? Why have you been avoiding me ever since the dance?" I stayed silent, not wanting to vocalize my insecurities to her. It'd be admitting how deep my feelings for her actually go. The two of us have been dancing around each other, avoiding saying the actual words. And screw it I'm not going to be the one to say it first.

"It isn't you, it's uh..."

"If you say, 'it's not you it's me' i'll punch you, Luke."

"Okay. Then it is... you?" I mentally slapped myself at my stupidity.

"Did you think the dance was horrible? That's why you've been avoiding me?" 

"NO! No Julie you did so damn good. I couldn't keep my eyes off you."

She blushed at my confession. "Then what?" she asked

"Stupid Nick," I muttered. 

"Nick..." Julie seemed to be connected the dots in her head, and I could physically see the moment it clicked for her. Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a shy smile. "Were you jealous?" 

It was my turn to blush, if ghosts can even do that. I did know that for once, my insides felt like they were burning up. A feeling I have begun to get quite used to. "No..." I replied extremely unconvincingly. 

I expected Julie to smirk or to laugh. Not to let out a small smile and slide her hand down from my arm to my hand. She squeezed it, sending butterflies down my stomach. 

"You don't have to be, Luke. I could never replace you. Ghost or not."

"It's stupid really."

"Luke when we perform, it's like this electricity is coursing through us, electrifying the crowd. Just because I had one good performance with Nick doesn't erase all that I have with you."

Oh.

She thought I was jealous because of their performance. Not because of him. I tried to keep a smile on my face, telling Julie that what we have when we perform together is special. She nodded, said a few more encouraging words, and was off giving me a beautiful smile before leaving the garage. Even though she read the wrong thing, I couldn't help but turn around with a tiny smile of my own. 

At the end, Julie did choose me. In a way I was immensely grateful for, just not in the way I desired. 

But for a dead ghost, that was enough.

And she was worth waiting for anyways.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fic I made cause I hate it. CRINGEEEEE (hopefully in a good way 😁)
> 
> Peace out


End file.
